Yasmeen Ghauri
Why is she famous?

Why is she famous?

This millionaire model has been posing since her late teens with her face on magazine covers across the U.S. and Europe. Although she is still in demand for runways, she has been shying away from the limelight lately. Yasmeen Ghauri is the perfect example of 90's model.

Discovered at the age of 17 in Canada, she quickly became one of the most sought after models in the world, appearing regularly in Victoria's Secret and Sports Illustrated, and working for the top fashion houses of Oscar de la Renta and Chanel.

"There are thousands of girls out there who could be doing my job." -Yasmeen Ghauri.

This beautiful 31-year old Victoria's Secret model was born into a strict family, in Montreal, Canada . At the age of 17, she was discovered by Montreal hairdresser Joseph Del Tortoon. At the time, she was working in a McDonald's, and was described as a rebel who dressed completely in black, from head to toe. Part of her success has been her exotic look, the result of a mixed marriage; her father is Pakistani and her mother is German. Yasmeen came along at the right time, when the fashion industry was looking for more than the typical American blonde.

AT 5'10", she has an incredible physical presence. As a teenager, she described herself as an ugly duckling, but time has certainly changed that statement. Imagine, she even thinks her butt is too big. Yasmeen, we can show you big butts. She was a rebellious teenager, which gave her the tough attitude she needed to make it in the fashion world. She once said, There are thousands of girls out there who could be doing my job. She realizes that models tend to be forced to have short careers, and therefore believes that as a model you need to [Make] as much money as possible.

Unlike other models, she also wishes for a return to old-fashioned beauty and glamour that help women dream, not look down on themselves. That's what we call a winning attitude. She quickly created a persona for herself in an industry filled with gorgeous, competitive women, by developing an exaggerated runway walk, a distant stare, and a refusal to smile. The sex appeal of her strut comes from both her look and her attitude

Yasmeen was at one time making millions of dollars a year through the extensive ad campaigns she was working on, but having a daughter forced her to take a temporary sabbatical from the fashion world. Despite the rest, she is still in high demand, and one of the most highly paid women working today. She has appeared in fashion shows, magazines, and ads, since the age of 20. She is instantly recognizable in Europe, while in North America (including her native Montreal), she can still walk down the street anonymously. She has been in so many publicity and advertising campaigns, that even if they were not necessarily high profile, she has almost become a household face, if not a household name.

Her versatility extends to her wardrobe where she loves wearing different clothes ranging from her favorite designers John Galliano and Dries Van Noten, to jeans and a t-shirt. Then again, with Yasmeen, anything she wears looks good.

That Canada continues to export models as beautiful as Yasmeen. We know Canada can make beer, but supermodels?

Her father, a strict Muslim, and her German mother were vehemently opposed to her pursuit of a modeling career, believing the business was unsanitary and evil. Yasmeen had a troublesome childhood, and was constantly tormented by her classmates while in school. She began to withdraw from those her age, preferring to associate with older children in her neighborhood. This resulted in Yasmeen growing up very quickly, and reaching a level of maturity beyond those her own age. She got past these obstacles, and made her first step towards a modeling career by signing with a Montreal modeling agency.

In 1990, Yasmeen moved to New York, where she began modeling for Versace. Her natural beauty and remarkable ability to look good in a variety of styles and designs quickly got her noticed in the fashion industry. Soon, Yasmeen was modeling for Isaac Mizrahi, Chanel and Givenchy. At 5'10", her height garnered the honor of being the star in Donna Karan's Fall collection preview. Ghauri spent most of '94 and '95 on the runways of Milan, Paris and New York, not delving into print work until late '95. She has graced the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover on a number of occasions, as well as the covers of Shape, Marie Claire and Fashion Quarterly.

Her list of credentials includes appearances in advertisements for Anne Klein, Bruno Magli, Chanel, Christian Dior Haute couture, Escada, Etienne Aigner, Gianfranco Ferré, Gianni Versace Couture, Givenchy Organza perfume, Hermès, Jil Sander, Laura Biagiotti, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sonia Rykiel, Valentino and Victoria's Secret.

Yasmeen truly stands out in person, with her natural good looks, self-confidence and the way she gives off an impression of true female charm. This has made her extremely popular on the runways, and has led to work in several big shows, including Badgley Mischka, Christian Dior, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dries van Noten, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Antonio Berardi and Dirk Bikkembergs. She pulled out of a major runway show for Yves Saint-Laurent at the last minute in June of 1996, which led to rumors that she may retire. Yasmeen did in fact take time off to pursue a degree in business.

Although Yasmeen ignored the words of her father earlier in her life, she does in fact share some of his philosophies. For example, although she is one of the top models in the world, she still shuns the spotlight, preferring a more humble approach to life. She enjoys golfing, painting, rollerblading and skiing. Yasmeen is a person who truly enjoys life. She takes everything in stride, and does not get carried away with her own fame and fortune. She lives life for the moment, and her favorite expression is You can't take it with you. This joie-de-vivre is what keeps her going, and she makes sure she has fun in whatever she does.

Yasmeen married after giving birth to her daughter, Maya. Yasmeen spent most of her time raising and caring for her beautiful baby girl. Rumor has it that she will soon be making her return to the runway at some time this year..

What else do you need to know?

(Source: PNS)